Monday, December 3, 2012

Fresh pine and Burlap swag

My awesome father-in-law brought us a tree he cut fresh from some family property. (3 years in a row - he's the best!) I love real trees! I prefer quirky ones that are cut in the wild. I love the imperfections that really give them character and make them look so genuine. Last years tree even had pine cones all over it! There's always some branches at the bottom that we need to cut off and I can't ever just throw them away! So they sat in our garage for a few days, then I walked past them for like the 10th time and it finally clicked! I could make a swag to replace the wreath I have been feeling bored with on the front door.

I bunched the branches to my liking and wired them together.

Then I formed a 5 inch wide strip of burlap into a bow like shape and used some jute and Christmas ribbon to tie it on.

I cut the ends of the burlap and ribbon into that V shape that makes it look nice and finished. (Fold in half, cut at an angle on the fold.)

Here's what it looks in the back. I just used the red and green ribbon to hang it.

I got some clear command hooks, and they work awesome!

Ta-da! I love how it turned out!

Pine and burlap are such a good combination! Well... I tend to think burlap and anything is a good combination : )